Hayleyfawns:
It was time for another race. The trumpet had sounded and the fawnlings paraded out onto the beach, where the race would take place. It was a little more simple this time. Rather than having a bunch of twists and turns they would be racing straight forwards on the beach. It would still be a hard race, especially since they would be slogging through the sand rather than a normal dirt or grass track. Rayma could tell that Zea was a bit on edge with the terrain. The piebald doe tossed her head as they came up to the white chalk starting line. Rayna glanced around at the competition, choking down her nerves.
Slade was being a pain in the ass as always, rearing and bouncing place at the starting line. Nostrils flared, the proud stallion flailed his forelegs dramatically. If they'd only let him go! Kryptonite pulled up beside Zea now. The pale stag was acting up as well, put on edge by Slade’s display. He skittered sideways, bumping into Darwin, who was standing calmly beside her. Squealing, the pale stag bared his teeth at him, as if it were his fault and he had been the one to run into her. Rayma grimaced, looking over to Sunny Ribs, the buck with the prosthetic leg, now. She wondered how he would handle the race with such a contraption.
Halloweendonkey:
Darwin was quietly awaiting the start of the race, focused on the beach. It was the first time he and Sunny had the occasion to see the sea, and if he wanted play in the waves he prefered wait the hand of the race to not upset his handler. Today it was Requiem. He didn’t minded, the guy was a good handler, used to ride fawnlings in races. He was a little worried by the texture of the sand, so soft and moving under his hooves, but, Oh well, he would try his best. Kryptonite seemed really nervous, probably because of Slade, and he didn’t really was upset to see him try to bite him, the stag was able to change the mood of everyone. Poor Zea looked terrified.
Darwin was more worried by the young stag at his side. It was the first time Sunny ribs participated to a race, or even a show in general, and he wondered how he could handle it with a missing leg. How, at the stable he was almost able to run as fast as everyone else, but a race? Sunny didn’t really cared to win, he was just happy to be there, to lick the salt on his lips and let the wind mess with his mane. He didn’t really took the race seriously, waiting the moment he could finally play in the water. Maybe Pistache would put on his metallic prosthesis a bag, to prevent the salted water to damage it, but again it wasn’t his concern. The judge talked to their riders and everyone was forced to focus.
Three
Two
One
GO!
Hayleyfawns:
Kryptonite seemed a bit disappointed that Darwin didn't react to his threat. Actually, he didn't seem concerned at all! The pale stag snorted, ears still pinned against his skull. Zea watched her nervously, prancing in place with anticipation for the race to start. Slade continued rearing in place, his jockey spewing profanities as he attempted to get the blue stag under control. Then, the shot fired and the race had begun. Zea and Kryptonite lunged forwards in unison, making a mad dash for the front of the pack. They paid no mind to Darwin, Ribs, or Slade. They were focused ahead. Their jockeys eased them up, not wanting them to spend all of their energy so soon.
Slade had been rearing when the shot fired. The blue stag threw all of his weight forwards in a dramatic leap, charging after the others. He broke slower than the others. He always seemed to struggle to catch his stride and the fact that he'd been rearing at the start didn't help. The blue stag took up the rear, snatching at the bit in an attempt to steal it away. His sights were set on Ribs, who was running along in front of him. The youngster was surprisingly fast, considering his prosthetic leg. Slade's jockey cursed the stag as he tried to rein him in, fingers tight on the bit. Slade ignored the pain, running forwards with all of his might stubbornly. He wasn't about to take his time and get left in the dust!
Halloweendonkey:
Sunny ribs was a nice fawnling who really had no anger nor real volontee to win, but he liked play. As Slade showed on his side, he couldn’t help but speed more, just enough to not let him pass. He didn’t knew the stag enough to know he was pissing him off, and continued to rush, not enough to double Darwin running behind the two does. Both knew they would be tired before the end and waited their hour, both trying to avoid the water for different reasons. Darwin because it would make him slow, Sunny Ribs because it would make his prosthetic uncomfortable.
Darwin was totally aware of the furious stag behind him. He had hoped to see him rush like Kryptonite and Zea and spend his too much energy in the race, but look Slade had missed his start. He tried to guess on what side the blue stag would appear to avoid him, and at the same time he knew the does in front of him totally focused on each other, and in a terrible mood as well. Stuck between two tornados, he didn’t knew which one choose. He snorted, thinking of Sunny Ribs. The stripped one was nice, but he wasn’t a big help against the furies!
Hayleyfawns:
Slade didn't appreciate Sunny Ribs keeping pace with him. The blue roan’s ears slicked back against his skull and he bared his teeth menacingly at the much younger stag. Against his jockey’s will, he surged past the golden buck. In a way Rayma felt sorry for Ribs and in a way she didn't. He had no hopes of winning the race, but he was having a lot of fun participating! Kryptonite fell behind Zea some now, allowing himself to be pulled up. He snorted slightly in complaint, pale eyes sharp with frustration. Zea ran along in the lead with ease, but would likely tire before the race was over.
Slade was working on running Darwin down, having left the happy Sunny Ribs behind. A small trickle of blood dripped down his mouth from where the bit had cut his Into his flesh. Realizing that Slade was too stubborn and was going to hurt himself worse, his jockey decided to let him go. Immediately the blue roan charged forwards, eating up ground like crazy. He was going to run flat out before the race was even going. He flashed past Darwin, Kryptonite, and Zea. He continued eating up the ground, pulling further and further away. The only thing that his jockey could do was pray that he'd put enough distance between him and the other fawnlings before he grew too exhausted. The blue roan wasn't losing momentum yet, but when he did… The others would come on strongly.
Halloweendonkey:
Everyone was running like crazy, and Sunny ribs tried to accelerate as well but the ground wasn’t at his advantage. The sand, more soft than grass, let his prosthetic sink more deeply, slowing him down. But he kept running, used now to compensate such thing. He was born with, and had learnt to deal with it! Sometimes he even tried to run on three legs, when things became too difficult for him to keep balance, but with a handler on the back he didn’t wanted take the risk. He was thinking if he could manage to keep his forces and let other spend all their energy, he had at least a chance to have the third place!
Darwin let Slade pass, rolling the eyes. This stag really couldn’t handle to lose! But the beach was long, they didn’t cover half yet, and he wondered if the stag would be able to run so fast so long. No one of them was used to run on sand, and it was exhausting. He finished to see that if he ran on the wet sand, at the limit of the waves, the ground was more close of normal soil, allowing him to run faster. However he didn’t planned to pass the does, not yet. They were focused on each other and using their resources, Darwin waited the moment the trio would start to slow down.
Hayleyfawns:
‘
A glance backwards revealed that nobody was attempting to chase Slade down. Nobody was crazy enough to push themselves so hard! Zea was trying to pursue him, but her jockey was forcing her to keep an even pace. She was already running a little harder than he had intended for her. Kryptonite ran along behind her, keeping to her flank. He could see Darwin behind him though. The other stag posed a threat, he knew. Darwin was taking his time and resting… He would have more energy than all of them once they got to the homestretch. Sunny Ribs was, surprisingly, still hanging on as well. He had no hopes of winning, but placing? That was a possibility. Kryptonite admired the young buck’s drive and love for life. He honestly wanted the golden buck to beat him. Of course, Kryptonite wasn’t going to just let him beat him. He was going to give this race his all and if Sunny Ribs placed before him it would be fair and Kryptonite wouldn’t mind. Racing wasn’t exactly his favorite sport anyways.
They swept around the natural bend in the beach now, steering away from the frothing waves. The “wire” was visible now- their finish line. It was time to run their race. Slade still had the lead by far, but he was obviously exhausted at this point. His strides were faltering and he was stumbling. His jockey continued to urge him on, desperately trying to keep his motivation. Slade strained as he tried to keep his lead. Zea was fading a bit as well. Kryptonite and Darwin pulled up even with her. Darwin eventually passed her. It seemed that he was the only one who had a chance at catching Slade. Zea and Kryptonite ran neck-and-neck, neither of them wanting to give any ground. Neither noticed Sunny Ribs either. The buck was coming on much stronger than they had expected!!
Halloweendonkey:
Darwin was now in second position. He was running as fast as he could, but he had his small idea on how the race would finish. He was respectful of the roan stag, even if he was hot headed, and could feel it was a question of honor for him to win that race. After all he had been behind Sunny ribs a part of the race, at was rather humiliating! Least for someone like Slade. He couldn’t know the prothetic of the golden stag had been made especially for him and allowed him to run almost as if he had any. On the good ground he was rather fast ! So he kept the speed in order to stay behind. If one of the does would pass he would speed, but he doubted they still had energy for, and Sunny didn’t got the competition spirit strong enough.
Spirit, on his side, was just happy to run. Now he reached the does, both tired and a little less fierce now. Slipping between the two he kept their speed a moment, before see the goal and decide maybe he could give his best, at least for his rider. He accelerated, his long tail like a flag, leaving the does behind, furious but unable to give more. They had rush too early and didn’t had any stamina anymore. The wire was close, more and more close, and the winners started to show. Slade the first, running as if he was ready to die for win, Darwin just behind, able to rush more but deciding to give the stag his moment of glory, then the stripped buck and the two does, running side to side. Then Slade passed the line under watchers excited cries of joy, then Darwin. Sunny ribs next, and then Kryptonite and Zea, so tired they almost fell on the ground . But Sunny ribs came back to them to lick their nose, rewarding him as he could. After all, they had been pretty during all the race!
